Nissan wants cheaper 86 rival

The Japanese manufacturer showed its concept for a rear-wheel-drive sports car at the 2013 Tokyo motor show in the form of the IDX, a compact coupe styled after the cult-classic Datsun 1600.

Keno Kato, corporate vice president of product planning for Nissan, says plans were well underway to introduce a “fun, affordable car” as part of an increasingly sporty range.

But, crucially, Kato says the company is working to find a second car to share a compact, rear-wheel-drive platform to spread development costs across at least two models otherwise it will struggle to make the business case work.

“I’d like to set a slightly lower price position. We would need to share it with something.”

Nissan's product executive says the Japanese brand's French partner Renault is studying the possibility of building its own IDX spin-off, with the reborn Alpine brand a distinct possibility or hosting the new car. Renault is in need of a new partner for its Alpine performance brand after splitting with original partner Caterham.

"To make character, we need a budget, we need money... by sharing an investment we can be in a position to add character."

The planning expert says a front engine and rear-wheel-drive layout is a core principle of the klittle coupe, with skinny tyres and lively dynamics given priority over speed.

“FR is a must, [even] knowing that it is less quick and heavier and costly, customers would rather FR,” he says.

“The Silvia [Nissan 200SX] for example, on the mountain road in Japan, was a joke and far behind the Civic Type R, but nobody cared.”

Flagging global sales for the Toyota 86 – which remains popular in Australia - have not encouraged Nissan to fully commit to the IDX without a strong business case behind it.

But Kato says the IDX has deeper appeal than Toyota’s coupe, with plainly obvious heritage as opposed to a focused sports car drawing links to a practical hatchback.

“It’s not a criticism of Toyota, I respect the company, Toyota is the greatest company on the planet, but sorry, the 86? In Japan, [it is] nothing,” Kato says.

“[It has] zero presence. The original AE86 and the 86 are so different.”